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Staff Recommendation

Approve the variance to reduce the minimum width of an access easement from 25 ft to 15 ft, based on the following evidence of hardship.

1. The access easement is required by the Town of Farragut to provide potential alternative access for two adjacent parcels to the east for future safety considerations.
2. The site's shallow depth and irregular shape make it challenging to provide the required parking spaces outside of the easement area. A right-of-way acquisition by Knox County in 2017 affected the depth of the subject lot.
3. No detrimental effects are anticipated from the approval of this variance. If this easement is used in the future, a new driveway configuration needs to be approved by the Town of Farragut.

Approve the final plat for one lot in the PR (Planned Residential) zone.

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BACKGROUND: The subject parcel is platted as Lot 11 of Unit 2 of the Campbell Park subdivision (Inst. 201708150010477). The 2017 plat stipulates that the subject lot must share the driveway of abutting Lot 10. In March 2025, the Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a variance to allow a new driveway location for the subject property. As a condition of the variance approval, the subject lot shall allow an access easement for the two lots on the east side, Lot 9R and 10 (see Exhibit B for meeting minutes).

Lots 9R and 10 currently have their own driveways, and creating this easement would allow all three lots to have a single access point to N Campbell Station Road that would align with the centerline of Fretz Road. The Community Development Department of the Town of Farragut stated that if a left turn lane is created on N Campbell Station Road at its intersection with Fretz Road, it would likely pose difficulties for occupants of lots 9R and 10 to turn left from their driveway to enter N Campbell Station Road. The agency stated that this easement would provide these two existing lots with an alternative, safer option if needed in the future (see Exhibit C for email correspondence with staff).

Within the last year, the Planning Commission approved both a rezoning to the PR at 4.4 du/ac zone (10-D-24-RZ) and a development plan for a duplex (5-L-25-DP) for this property. Prior to the development plan approval, the Knox County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance to reduce the western peripheral boundary from 20 ft to 10 ft (24-Z0062). Additionally, the depth of the subject lot was reduced when a portion of the property was dedicated as right-of-way through the 2017 plat.

VARIANCE: The variance is requested because the depth and shape of the subject property make it challenging to provide the required parking spaces. The approved development plan includes an attached one-car garage and an additional parking space in front of the garage for each unit of the duplex. At 25-ft in width, the easement would encroach into the parking spaces. The shape and peripheral setback of the property restrict the duplex from setting back any further. Staff supports the variance because this would allow these parking spaces to be outside of the easement area. The Knox County Engineering and Public Works Department and the Community Development Department of the Town of Farragut have no opposition to this request.